Dotwork tattoos and artwork by David from Inkden at Blackpool

It’s also known to have more neo traditional feel combining thick lines with bold black sections with high contrast.

I have grown up loving to draw and paint. I remember being a child and drawing all of my favourite characters from “Pokemon” and “The Simpsons.” As a teenager I fell in love with comic books and painted pictures for my friends. As an apprentice I am currently experimenting with different styles but can’t help be pulled towards blackwork tattoos, especially dotwork.

Like the name implies, dotwork tattoos are images composed entirely of single dots. This process can take a longer but it’s worth the wait once you see the end result.

Dotwork typically use black and grey ink, but when used properly, colours can look just as stunning.

Mandalas, for example, can use either elegant and/or strong lines with a combination of different shades of colours.

Another way to combine dotwork with colour is to have the main subject in black and grey and the background is one solid or a combination of colours.

Along with dotwork and general blackwork I will be focusing on line work. I love when an image uses different line weight to create strong depth.

This also can combines the neotraditonal style of having bold outlines around the form to bring certain aspects of the image forward,

but with thinner hatchings to give shading and form to the subject.

One aspect that particularly drew me into dotwork is the diverse use that can produce a multitude of effects and styles,

from photorealistic portraits to surreal illustrations, both very different outcomes but equally stunning.

Also from a distance, the tattoo can be a clear image with smooth gradations and high contrast, but when viewed closer,

the tattoo also allows you to see each individual dot, giving the tattoo a whole new dimension.

As my comfort with blackwork

has increased I have leaned more into the darker subjects of life which I have always loved. I can’t explain why, but I have always found skulls, grim reapers and other Gothic subjects visually fascinating.

I hope to one day work primarily with darker subjects and combine all the different styles above to create a wide portfolio.

https://www.inkdentattoo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/INKDEN-WHITE-LOGO-1030x1030.png00inkdenshamackhttps://www.inkdentattoo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/INKDEN-WHITE-LOGO-1030x1030.pnginkdenshamack2018-10-18 22:52:312018-10-18 22:52:31Dotwork tattoos by David